Kansas Next State to Seek Obamacare Waiver

Kansas may soon be seeking a waiver from the federal health care reform law, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported Tuesday.

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger indicated in testimony and public comments submitted during a fact-finding hearing Monday that the state will soon file the waiver to the medical loss ratio in the health care law. The ratio requires that health insurance carriers spend 80 percent of every dollar it receives in premiums on claims. That leave the company 20 percent to cover administrative costs and profits.

Health insurance companies who don’t meet the loss ration standard will have to provide customers with refunds beginning in 2012.

Praeger conducted the Monday hearing, at the request of insurance agents who sell individual health care policies. Praeger also has heard from insurance carriers on the subject and hopes to have all the information compiled by March 21.

If the decision is made to seek a waiver, Praeger said, she would like to get something filed as soon as possible.